For the week of September 10 - 16, 2003

Street fight turns ugly

One arrested, one hospitalized

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

A Ketchum man was taken into police custody early Monday morning after a street brawl erupted in front of Whiskey Jacques’ Restaurant and Nightclub in Ketchum, leaving one man in need of a Life Flight to Boise.

Daniel P. Hawthorne, 22, was arrested on felony aggravated battery charges around 2:30 a.m. Monday for his involvement in a fight that resulted in the hospitalization of Justin P. Pidgeon of Ketchum.

Pidgeon, 29, was discharged earlier this week. He was flown by Life Flight early Monday morning to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise for treatment of head injuries that resulted when Hawthorne allegedly stomped on Pidgeon’s forehead with the heel of his boot.

At approximately 12:15 a.m. Monday morning, police received a telephone call that a fight was brewing in front of the downtown Ketchum bar, said Ketchum Assistant Chief Mike McNeil. By the time authorities arrived at the scene, the fight had concluded, and Pidgeon was in need of medical attention.

McNeil said that Hawthorne was apparently at the bar with his girlfriend and told police that Pidgeon had made some unwelcome advances toward the woman. That’s when the two men moved outside.

Hawthorne allegedly knocked Pidgeon unconscious and proceeded to stomp on Pidgeon’s face with the heel of his boot, crushing part of his forehead and cheek around the left eye, McNeil said.

Pidgeon may have trouble regaining sight in that eye, McNeil added, calling the injuries "pretty serious."

Ketchum police were continuing Monday to investigate the incident.

 

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